The Legacy of Extraction: Resource Curse

Welcome back to the Expanding Economics podcast! In this episode, Noé and Zoya dive into the complex history and future of the natural resource trade. They explore how the wealth of developing nations—from oil in Venezuela to copper in Zambia—has been shaped by a legacy of colonial extraction and neocolonial influence. Their discussion traces the path from the 1884 Berlin Conference to the lost decade of the 1980s, analyzing how Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) often stripped nations of the tools needed for domestic development.

By examining the Resource Curse and the double externality of environmental and social harm, they shed light on why resource abundance doesn't always lead to prosperity. Tune in to explore how modern strategies, such as moving up the value chain and leveraging the green transition, might finally allow developing nations to reclaim economic self-determination and sovereign growth.

Find out more at https://the-expanding-economics-podcast.pinecast.co